the urban beach
landscape | 550 queens quay west , toronto by real eguchi
sculpture condominiums landscape themes
restorative landscapes
Harbourfront urban nature
This is a garden for a developer client who wanted to ensure that the landscape helped people appreci- ate that they lived in Harbourfront, Toronto, down by Lake Ontario. Residents are professionals who live downtown, often engaged in a dialogue about cul- ture, well-being and the city. The landscape project mediates between Lake On- tario and the condominium, the edge of the city and the lake, connecting people to nature while living in Canada’s largest urban centre. Although entirely and artificially located on the roof of the garage, when we thought about water, we initially thought about flow- ing lines, rocks and fence pickets that appear to have been subjected to the forces of water. We thought about plants blowing in the strong wind down by the lake. To work this in landscape terms often comes down to placement details: for example, the project includes drifts of large plant materials that actually flow in front of smaller material. At the largest scale, a public walkway runs north to south through the property, a city requirement to al- low access through private developments to the lake. The walkway with an inukshuk that points to the lake, giving direction and orientation. Two asymmetrical wave-like walls enclose the walkway; the paving moves up and down in counter- point: indeterminate, yet organised by a regular pat- tern of trees and light poles on either side of the walk. The walkway stops at a large circle edged by rough stones with smooth surfaces to sit on. In the circle are two Canada geese made of thin metal strips, over- sized garden ornaments for vines to grow into. The overpopulation of geese has been an issue in this area — one of many conflicts we have with nature. These geese stand alert, about 10 feet tall, and peer toward the lake as if watching out for the residents. The circular garden sits in the middle of a large terrace: the paving is painterly, angled in various di- rections. Waves of colour, with a sparing use of ex- pensive blue pigment, flow in patterns, so that the garden appears to be lapping against the building. What is the value of the little strip of landscape that usually lies sad and flat in front of apartment and condo buildings? Eco-psychology tells us that this can be a space of decompression -- a mental and physical restor- ative, bringing us back to a bio-diversity long missing from the city. One such project is at 550 Queen’s Quay West, where the two components of well-being and aes- thetic pleasure combine to form a landscape that does more than please, it wants to heal the rupture between nature and urban life.
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1 Goose frames under construction. 2 550 Queen’s Quay in construction: a com- pressed landscape that must mediate between the housing units, a busy road, a tramline and the waterfront of Lake On- tario. Images of water carry that mediation, connecting directly to the lake.
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